Her statement on Saturday follows the murder of secular blogger Niladri Chatterjee Niloy, who was killed by suspected Islamic militants on Friday.

Al-Qaeda’s Indian offshoot AQIS’s ‘Bangladesh branch’ has purportedly claimed responsibility for the murder of the blogger, the fourth this year after Avijit Roy, Oyasiqur Rahman Babu and Ananta Bijoy Das.

Speaking at a discussion, Hasina said that these murderers were a 'blot on Islam'.

“Islam is a religion of peace. Those who want to taint it cannot have true faith in it. How dare they call themselves Muslims?”

“We cannot let this happen in Bangladesh. The people of this country are peace-loving.”

She said her Awami League government was trying to weed out militancy from the country.

“It’s unfortunate that the terrorist and militant activities that happen across the world frequently affect us,” Hasina said.

Referring to recent rise of religious terrorism across the world, she said: “I felt very sorry that a suicide squad killed people at a mosque during Juma prayers in Saudi Arabia.

“Are these men Muslims? A Muslim slaying another Muslim... and chooses the path to self-destruction. How can they call themselves Muslims?" she reiterated.

“And now they are murdering bloggers for writing against the religion,” she said. “Who benefits from this gory mayhem? Which religion they claim to have been protecting?

“I don’t know if anyone has the answers,” Hasina said.

The prime minister continued, “They slay each other and today al-Qaeda’s men claimed responsibility for killing bloggers in Bangladesh.

“So what is the solution to this conflict?”

“What is the real path the people should follow?”

Amid the recent spate of child abuse and murders in Bangladesh, Hasina issued a stern warning to such offenders.

“I don’t know... Bangladeshis have a strange mentality. When they see a crime being widely publicised, they feel the urge to replicate it,” she said.

“They (child murderers) will be severely punished so that perpetrators will realise that no one will be spared if they commit such heinous crimes.”

She also said that she had discussed the matter with the home minister.